Pivoted top for an overbed table or the like



pril 11, 1956 H.H 5LMBERG 2,7 2,336

PIVOTED TO P FOR AN OVERBED TABLE OR THE LIKE Filed Feb. 26, 1955 2 Sh etS-Sheet l wi 4; 117" 2 4%:- M, -,2;4 ,Yzw

April 17, 1956 HOLMBERG 2,742,336

PIVOTED TOP FOR AN OVERBED TABLE OR THE LIKE Filed Feb. 26, 1955 2 SheetsSheet 2 INN/ M fw ya- {[6 6 9 a v6 .9 a 74 f 9/ a Q 32 22 l I 2 15 [50 K496 42/ 42 E2 .42

E E IN VEN TOR.

19.62223 flalm rrvornnror non AN OVERBED TABLE on THE LIKE Henry Holmberg, Ludington, Micln, assignor to Marquette Manufacturing Company, Ludington, M1ch., a

corporation of Michigan Application February 26, 1953, Serial No. 339,045

' 4 Claims. (Cl. 311-38) dicated character and to provide an improved overbed table which incorporates a unique mounting for the cover conventionally employed for the compartment with which tables of this typeusually are equipped, the cover being operable from either side of the table for convenience and 'to obviate the necessity of providing both right and left hand tables.

Another object of the invention is to provide an 1mproyed overbed table having a compartment cover that can :be locked in the. closed position so as to function as a portion of the table top; that may be opened easily :and quickly from either side of the table so as to function as a support for books, magazines and the like; that can bereadily positioned for maximum reading convenience and comfort; and that can be latched in any one of several positions. t

With the above as well as other, and in certain cases more detailed objects in view, which will become apparent from .thefollowing description and the appended claims, a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings throughout the several views of which corresponding reference characters designate'corresponding parts and wherein:

Fig.1 is a perspective view of an overbed table embodyingthe presentinvention; j

Fig. 2 is anenlarged, transverse sectional view taken on the line 2-'2 of Fig. 1 and illustrating the manner in which'the cover can be raised from either side of the table; a

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, transverse sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 but showing the cover closed;

Fig. 4 isanenlarged, fragmentary, vertical sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig.5 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical sectional viewtaken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3; and

"Fig. 6 is.a transverse sectional view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the cover partially open.

"Referrmg to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates affable top mounted at one endthereof on an upright standard, generally designated 12, having an elongated base 14 extending under the top 10 and mobilized by casters 16, which facilitate moving the table to any desiredlocation. The standard 12 and the base 14 are of conventional design and construction and the upright standard here shown comprises telescoping sections 18 and 20 which permit vertical adjustment of the, table while any suitable means, such as set screws (not shown) may be provided to lock the sections in a selected, vertically adjusted position. The upper end portion-of the section18 is enlarged to form a flange 19 which is se- United States Patent 0 2,742,336 Patented Apr. 17, 195 6 ice cured to the top 10 by any suitable means, such as the extending tray rails 36 and 38 are rigidly secured to the partition members 32 and 34, respectively, at a position near, but spaced from, the lower edge thereof; The tray rails 36 and 38 projectfrom the partition members inwardly into the opening and are adapted to support a rectangularly shaped tray, generally designated 40, havner disclosed in my Patent'No. 2,640,748, issued June 2,

1953,: so that ready access may be had to the tray by a person lying comfortably away. from the side of the bed at which the table'is positioned.

The opening 30 is closed by a cover 48 which is of such size as to substantially fill the opening 30 and may be raised from either side of the table in the manner shown inFig. 2. When the cover is closed, the top surface thereof lies in the same plane as the top of the panels .24 and 26 so that a single flat surface is obtained.

The cover may be opened selectively from eitherjend and pivotedthrough an obtuse angle about a horizontally extending axis disposed 'at a-position near, but spaced from, the opposite end of thecover so as to function as a support for books, magazines and the like. A mirror 50 is provided on the inner surface of the cover 48 and is readily available for use when thecover is opened from either side of the table, the mirror being retained by bars 52 and 54. One, side of'each bar overlaps an end portion of the mirror and each bar is provided with a centrally disposed tenon 56 adapted to fit a mortise 57 extending transversely of the cover on the inner side thereof while screwsQsuch as 60, hold the bars securely in place. The bars 52 and 54 also function as abutment stops to support .books and the like when the cover is raised. Such a one piece 'cover construction provides a relatively large mirror area and a relatively large book rest area which may be used conveniently by a person lying in bed. v

' A feature of the present invention is the means provided for mounting the cover which enables the cover to be ing upper step portion 70 While the inner endof the upper step portion 70 is joined to the outer end of the lower step portion 68 by a relatively short vertical portion 72. The inner end of the lower step portion 68 is extended to and through the lower edge of the bearing plate by a relatively short vertical slot 74.

A pair of spaced pins 76 and 78 are fixed in each top panel 24 and 26 and these pins extend inwardly into the 2;74.2,sse

opening 30, each pair of pins being positioned to engage in -the-slot-- 66--in -the--adjacent-=bearing-plate. When the a cover 48 is closed, as shown in Fig. 3, the pins 76 and 78 are positioned at the inner ends of the upper slots 70 of each bearing plate62 and=64 The two pins-76 1a: one end of thecover 48 bear against the shoulders definedby theintermediate slotportions'72 in bearing plates 62 to prevent 'movement of'the table to the left; as viewed in.

i Fig. 3, and the twopins 78 at the opposite ends of-the cover bearagainst the shoulders defined by the intermediate slot portions 72 in bearing plates64 to prevent movement of the cover plate to the right, as viewed in Fig. 3; It will thus be seenthat with the above construction, the

bearing plates 62 and 64- co-act withthe pins '76*and' 78' to hold the closed cover 48" against horizontal trans verse movement.

A'pair of 'supportmembers'80 andSZ' is fastened by 8 screws '86 'to the inner side ofeach'partition '32 and '34 at'opposite ends thereof. Each of-the support members 80 and82 is provided-at the bottom thereof with an arcuately' formed, inwardlyprojecting bearing flange portion 88, the radius of the arc of'each-flange portion being sub stantially the distance from 1theouter end'of the upperslot'68 to the adjacent outer edge of the cover48 plus' pins 91 and 92 are'fixed'in the partitions'32 and 34. The

pins 91 and 82 are positioned to'engage the inner'surface of the cover member after'it hasrotated through a predetermined arc and prevent the 'endportions of the cover from disengaging from jthe'flange portions 88;

For the'purposes'ofrlatchingthe cover 48 in-a selected partially openpositionas it is rotated about either pivotal axis, a spring biased detent 93 "is fitted in the edges of the cover opposite each support'memberand'is'adapted .to;

selectively'enter oneendof a plurality of arcuately spaced recesses 94, formed in" the vertically extending walls of each support member; a

Grooves 96are formediin'th'e'inner edges of the top members 24and 26 near the ends thereof, in. order-to facilitate translatory movement of-the cover 48, which will be'explained hereinafter'in greater detail, and to prevent'the detents 93 from'engaging the inner edges of the top members 24 and'26f Forthe purpose of enabling the ,cover 48 to be easily grasped-when in the-closed "position, the upper eds? Portion-98 of the frame 22'is cutaway on each .end'of the opening 30 and a' groove 100"is also providedlin the lower surface of the cover member at aposition near, but spaced from, each end"thereof;

'The operation-ofithe cover-'48 is best understood by considering the movement .of'the cover in increments and since both endsof the-cover-are identically mounted; a

detailed description ofzthe rais'ingof one end will suffice.

toexplain the operation of the. cover.

Assuming that it .isdesired to raise the left end of f the.

as shown in Fig. 6. With the cover 48 in this position, the left end of -the-cover can be swung upwardly so that the. vertically extending open end portions 74 of the grooves 66 pass the pins 76 and disengage the bearing plates 62 from the pins 76 while the pins 78 act as pivots. As the cover rotates, the wear plates at the right end of the cover engage the arcuate flanges 88 of the adjacent support members 82 so. that the cover is guided and supported during swinging movement thereof. The cover 48 may then be swung through any desired angle until it abuts the pins 92. During such swinging movementof thecover 48, the detents 93 at the right end of the cover selectively engage the arcuate spaced recesses 94 to latch the cover.

From the above. description, it will be appreciated that the present invention provides a cover which may be easily opened by an invalid confined in bed. It will also be appreciated that there are, no exposed arms or braces which require separate adjustment or which are likely to becomeentangled inthe bed covering.

While a preferred embodiment of the inventionhas been shown and described, it will be understood that various changes and'modifications may be made without de-- parting from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An overbed table construction'including, in com-' bination, a hortizontally extending top memberhaving an opening therein, a cover member for the opening mounted to be selectively opened from opposite ends thereof, apair ofspaced bearing members fixed to each of two opposite edges of said cover member, each of said bearing members having a spaced stepped grooveformed' therein, a pair of spaced fixed pivot members extending into the opening from each of two opposite sides and positioned to releasably engage the grooves in the*adjacent bearing member, a pair of spaced support members fixed, on each of two opposite sides of said opening, each of said support members having an arcuate inwardly extending flange positioned to support and guide said cover" member during rotary movement thereof, and means for releasably latching said cover in a selected inclined posi-' tion, said last mentioned means comprising apair' of" posed in one offset portion of the slots and co-acting with.

said abutments to, limit sliding movement ofpthe panel, pivotalimovement of the panel on the pins at one end thereofdisengagingthe pins at the opposite end from the co-operating abutments to release said panel forvfree. sliding movementwithin. limits-defined. by the slots, sliding movement of the panel to one limit of its travel bringing certain ,ofsaid pins into registerwith associatedside openings and said certain pins; beingrnovable through.

said openingsto disengage'said slots and said panel: and

thus releasing the panel for pivotal movement; and means for supporting said panel on said structure duringsaid pivotal movement.

3. Apparatus comprising a supporting structure, a generally rectangular horizontal panel on said support-:

ing-structure, a pin and slot connection at each corner of the. panel mounting the latter forslidingand pivotal.

movement, the outer portion of each slot being -ofiset upwardly from the inner portion thereof andthe portion of'the-slot which. interconnects the offset portions defin-- ing;=an..abutrn'ent, all of the pins being disposed'in the outer upwardly offset portions of the slots and bearing.-

inwardly against said abutments in one position of the l panel to prevent sliding movement of the latter, said 1 panel when so positioned being liftable from either end to disengage the pins in the near slots from their respective abutrnents and to release the panel for sliding moveat the inner ends of the slots being movable through said openings to disengage said slots and said panel; and bearing members on said supporting structure positioned to engage the ends'of the panel and to support the latter during pivotal movement thereof on said pins.

4. In a construction having a top member defining an opening, a cover member for the opening mounted to be opened selectively from opposite ends thereof,-said cover ment in the direction of the raised end, all of said slots having side openings at the inner ends thereof and the pins member havinga pair of spaced, stepped grooves in one edge thereof opening downwardly through the undersur face of the cover, a pair of spaced pivot members fixed in said top member positioned in said grooves and movable into and out of said grooves through said openings,

said spaced pivot members coacting with the stepped portions of said grooves to releasably lock said cover member in a closed position and with terminal portions of said grooves in pivotally connect said cover member to said top member for combined translatory and rotary movement from a closed position to an open position, a

pair of spaced support members fixed to said top member, each of said support members having an arcuate inwardly extendingfiange positioned to support and guide said cover member during rotary movement thereof, and

means for releasably latching said cover in a selected inclined position. 7

References Citedin the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Holmberg June 2, 1953 

